


Cherry Beach

by LostInTheThicket



Series: The Gimmicks' Compendium: Life in New Toronto [7]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship, Day At The Beach, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Kindred Spirits, References to Depression, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-06
Updated: 2018-11-06
Packaged: 2019-08-19 15:26:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16537217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LostInTheThicket/pseuds/LostInTheThicket
Summary: Axel makes his way to Cherry Beach after thinking of his recent adventure with Nadine Rielle. However, after seeing a lone person sitting with negative thoughts, Axel shares a different heart-to-heart conversation next to the waves.





	Cherry Beach

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not feeling okay today. It's my birthday, too. It's coming to a close.
> 
> But I hope that if I can make one person appreciate this story, that's more than a gift for me. Enjoy.

Just before sunset, Axel Price walks along the sands of Cherry Beach in New Toronto. Thinking back to his recent meeting with the mysterious and (admittedly) alluring Nadine Rielle, Axel starts to think about many things.

His relationship with Hannah and his new relationship with Nadine. His friends and allies, the Gimmicks, having a new member in the family. His birthday, as wild and as fortunate as a person could have. But after school, he wanted to get away from it all. He wanted some time for himself, if only for a little while.

There was always something about the sand under his feet and the waves calling to him that felt hauntingly beautiful…

It was like he was closer to his grandpa than ever before when near a beach.

Axel’s hazel eyes trace the sunless sky, vivid in colours quite rare. Light magenta, grey, and other wild colours paint the sky to be quite the ‘anomaly’ to the Anomaly. He grins and chuckles before spotting a lone man, sitting near the tide. Too far to make out the details, Axel moves in closer.

“Hey! Hey, my brother, there’s no one besides us. You think you got space for one more?” he said, moving closer to the figure. Unfortunately for Axel, though, his new acquaintance was in another place.

Because as soon as Axel stepped forward, he spotted the man. He had fair skin, like Moon, but a shade darker. The young man looked older than Axel by a few years, but heavy bags under his tear-stained eyes proved anything but. He had a shaved hairstyle with stretched earlobe piercings, tattoo sleeves and thick, rimmed glasses.

And he had a gun in his lap.

The man turned slowly and looked at Axel, feigning a smile as he wipes his tears away. “H-Hey. I don’t mind. Sit…” He stares at the waves.

 _Jah, damn it._ Axel never encountered anything like this before, but as someone who cares about the people of his city, he sits down. Intent on not seeing a young life end, he curls into a ball and just watches the waves. “It’s nice, you know.”

“Hm, yeah.” Slightly captivated by Axel’s accent, the young man turns his head ever so faintly to see him. “Kevin.”

“Axel.”

“Where are you from?”

“I was born in Toronto before it got all new and shit.” Kevin faintly smiles. “But my family raised me as a young _pickney_ in the Bahamas. I'm from Freeport.”

Surprised, Kevin sighs. “The Bahamas? L-Lots of resorts there, eh?”

Axel wasn’t upset at the apparent generalization. After all, not only are the Bahamas known for its resorts, his grandparents _had_ an island resort. “Yeah. Lots of sun and sand. It’s like here, but nicer. More than just the resorts, you know.”

“Like what?”

“Coconut water, straight from the coconut. Fresher than tap water! The people are nice. And the food? Mmm, mm, mm. It’s mad good.”

Kevin smiles. “Sounds like fun.” He looks at the gun, narrowing his eyes as he feels its cold metal. Axel remains silent, eyeing Kevin ever so faintly. “Wish I could go.”

“It’s never too late to go.”

“Yes, it is…”

“Why?” Axel lies back, his arms behind him as hands dig into the cool sand. "What happened?"

Kevin tears up, holding back a chuckle before he sniffs. “My… M-My girlfriend. Shelley… she was murdered.”

“Murdered?” Thinking back to his altercation with Hotspot, Axel worries. His muscles lock up as his teeth grind against each other. “What happened?”

Kevin shakes his head, not really wanting to divulge any information. It’s not until he sees a concerned and patient Axel until he thanks him with a nod. Axel smiles. Weeping once more, Kevin continues.

“I… It just started because of an argument. I was… Fuck, we argued and… she left that day. It was something stupid. I... I wanted to take more shifts. I just wanted more money so that I could surprise her with a fancy dinner. I wanted to marry her…”

Silence. Axel smiles as Kevin nods. “I was being too reserved. She thought I... was hiding something, so she left. Next thing I knew, she… I…”

“What happened, Kevin?” said Axel, as calm as the ocean waves.

“I heard the news that a shooting happened in the mall,” Kevin uttered through his tears. “People were injured and killed. Shelley… The last moment I had with her was an argument for shit’s sake…” Kevin cried as he grips the handle on the gun.

Axel grits his teeth even harder. “Did they ever find—”

“No.” Kevin shakes his head. “Happened six months ago. It was just some gang war bullshit with the 77s.” The tears start to flow.

 _Typical._ Axel closes his eyes in silent rage. “How long were you two together?”

Kevin sniffles and smiles. “Five years.” He shows an embossed silver ring on his hand as Axel whistles.

“For five years, you two loved each other,” Axel smiled. “A lot.”

 “We… we had our ups and downs, but yeah. Things weren’t... terrible,” Kevin said. “She… helped me through some dark times.”

“I’m sorry for your loss, Kevin.”

“I’m guilty…” Kevin starts holding the gun, feeling the side of the trigger with his thumb. “I shouldn’t have waited. I should’ve…”

“Kevin, my brother… Listen to me,” Axel whispered, sitting a little bit closer to him. “I don’t know if I can make it all go away, but I’m here for you. Brother, seeing you like this… hearing about Shelley… I'm here for you.”

Kevin grips the gun as tight as he can. The feeling in his hand is as white-hot as his rage and his sadness and his grief. “Axel, man, I don’t know… I don’t know…”

Axel starts to tear up. “You are _not_ alone in this. I’m here for you, okay? I am _right_ here for you.”

Kevin hesitates and lifts the gun with both hands. He weighs the options in his head before he turns to Axel. “But… I don’t know you.”

“You may not believe it now, but there will always be people to help you. And it’s true, you don’t. But, please. Allow me to know you and to help you.” Axel wipes his tears. “Please.”

Kevin hesitates, gripping the gun hard. Finally, with a pained yell, Kevin throws the gun away. He crumples on the sand, his head resting on Axel’s lap.

He cries for Shelley. He cries for her life, snuffed like a candle. He cries for how insignificant his pain is compared to her family. And most of all, he cries because right now, there’s someone to talk to when no one else seemed to care.

Axel consoles him, weeping softly himself. After Kevin wipes his own tears away, he turns to Axel. “What’s wrong?”

Axel takes a deep sigh and turns to Kevin. “You’re not alone,” He said, rubbing his shoulder. “My grandpa was swept away by Hurricane Katrina. But I _won’t_ let life sweep you away, too, see?”

Kevin nods.

Axel helps Kevin up, hiding the gun. “We’ll walk together. I want you to get better, so we’ll just take a walk to the hospital, okay?

Kevin nods before he crumples near Axel’s chest. “I’m sorry, man.”

Axel smiles, staring at the waves. “No need to apologize to me. We’ll both do our best to get better. For Shelley.”

Kevin looks at Axel as he nods with a smile. “Yeah.”

Just before sunset, Axel and Kevin walk together. Pockets in their hands, the new friends talk about their lives, hoping to make the pain go away for the moment…

Just like the currents on Cherry Beach.

 

**Author's Note:**

> If you're reading and if you're feeling like life's getting you down...
> 
> If shit's tough...
> 
> Things will get better. <3 And if no one listens to you, call for me. Stay Golden. You deserve it.
> 
> \- Thicket


End file.
